Following the departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amid the August 5 student-led protests, local governance in Bangladesh has been severely disrupted, with many Awami League-backed officials, including mayors and chairmen, going into hiding. This has led to a standstill in the delivery of essential services across the country.
In response, the interim government is set to replace these absent local representatives by appointing administrators. This move aims to restore administrative functions and ensure uninterrupted service delivery. To facilitate this, a series of amendments to local government laws were enacted on August 17, allowing the removal of elected officials under “special circumstances” and enabling the appointment of administrators.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin issued four key ordinances to establish the legal framework for these changes:
- Local Government (City Corporation) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024
- Local Government (Municipality) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024
- Zila Parishad (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024
- Upazila Parishad (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024
These ordinances include provisions for the removal of mayors, councillors, and chairmen, and the appointment of administrators to manage the affected areas, ensuring governance continues despite the political turmoil.
